Distributor rotor contact blade member

ABSTRACT

A distributor rotor is disclosed as utilizing a one-piece integral blade and spring with the blade straight or flanged to increase the discharge area. No rivet is required to hold the blade and spring together and the entire distributor rotor therefore can be molded on completely automatic compression molding presses. The one-piece blade and spring has a series of teeth on each side that nest into a slot molded into the top of the rotor sweep member. The teeth are bent upward at approximately a 20* angle and are accurately positioned by means of a fixture on the rotor. Pressure is applied to force the spring and blade into the slot forcing the teeth to bend further upward to approximately a 45* angle. Any effort to pull or dislodge the blade and spring after assembly is resisted by the teeth biting further into the slot walls.

United States Patent [72] Inventors John 1. Beck Seneca Falls, N.Y.; George M. Gilkey, Southfleld, Mich. [211 Appl. No. 860,540 I [22] Filed Sept. 24, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 I73] Assignee Gull In Western Systems Company Union Springs, NY.

[54] DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR CONTACT BLADE MEMBER 2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 200/166 J, 200/19, 200/31 [51] lnt.Cl 1101111/ [50] Field oISearch 200/19,31, 166 CT, 166 811,166 .1; 339/220, 221

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,400 3/1956 Hailes 200/166 J 2,790,020 4/1957 Redick et al 200/19 X 9 995 7 @fiiBEPP s ,fi w .2QQ/ e Primary Examiner-H. 0. Jones Attorney-Amster 8L Rothstein ABSTRACT: A distributor rotor is disclosed as utilizing a onepiece integral blade and spring with the blade straight or flanged to increase the discharge area. No rivet is required to hold the blade and spring together and the entire distributor rotor therefore can be molded on completely automatic compression molding presses. The one-piece blade and spring has 5 a series of teeth on each side that nest into a slot molded into the top of the rotor sweep member. The teeth are bent upward at approximately a angle and are accurately positioned by means of a fixture on the rotor. Pressure is applied to force the E spring and blade into the slot forcing the teeth to bend further upward to approximately a angle. Any effort to pull or dislodge the blade and spring after assembly is resisted by the IWIIIIMI/lllll/M teeth biting further into the slot walls.

DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR CONTACT BLADE MEMBER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to distributors for automotive and other uses and more particularly to rotor constructions for use in such distributors.

PRIOR ART A distributor for automotive and other uses has as its function the distribution of high voltage, produced in an ignition coil, to the spark plugs in a desired sequence. A conventional electrical system for distributors produces voltage through an ignition coil from the battery, the current from the battery flowing through the coil to a switch and then to ground when the switch is closed. Opening of the ignition switch causes a current in the ignition coil which flows from there to the center electrode of the distributor in the distributor rotor. The center electrode of the distributor causes a spark gap to be successively formed between the spring-blade combination and the contact points for the spark plugs of the motor being operated. Various other features of a conventional distributor system will not be described for the purposes of brevity but are presumed to be known by those skilled in the art.

Presently used constructions for enabling the contact between the rotor and spark plugs include a blade and spring of dissimilar metals and a rivet to hold both parts in place to maintain the proper blade sweep radius and a good electrical connection. These two-piece constructions by the nature of the rivet limits production to a manual molding press with hand-loaded inserts. Subsequent assembly operations require the manipulation of three parts, namely the molded rotor with the rivet, the blade, and the spring. Significant cost savings and reliability, can therefore be realized by avoiding troubleproducing electrical and mechanical connections between the rivet, the blade and the spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a spring and blade construction for a distributor rotor which provides a more reliable electrical connection between the spark plugs and the center electrode contact point from the coil in a conventional internal combustion engine circuit.

A further object is to provide a spring and blade construction for a distributor rotor which can be molded and assembled on a completely automatic compression molding press and semiautomatic assembling machinery.

These and other objects are provided in a construction according to the present invention which features a one-piece flexible blade for a distributor rotor having a unitary body with a spring tongue, a blade base and a number of teeth on each side of the blade base which nest in a slot molded into the top side of the rotor body. The teeth are initially (before assembly) bent upward and outward to approximately a angle with the horizontal, and the flexible blade is accurately positioned at the top of the rotor by means of a fixture. Pressure is applied to force the blade base of the flexible blade into the slot forcing the teeth to bend further upward to an angle of approximately 45. Any effort to pull or dislodge the flexible blade after assembly is resisted by engagement of the teeth in the sides of the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a top view representation of a unitary flexible blade for a distributor rotor according to the present invention, the flexible blade being constructed to perform both the spring and blade functions;

FIG. 2 is a side vie of the flexible blade of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a front view sectional representation of the unitary flexible blade construction taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows; 7

FIG. 4 is a partial front view representation of the blade base of the unitary flexible blade in an alternative embodiment using a straight blade end rather than a flanged end;

FIG. 5 is a top view representation of the flexible blade of FIGS 1, 2 and 3 in assembled position at the top of the rotor;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional side view of the assembled unit of FIG. 5 with the section taken along the line 66 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial top view representation of the top of the rotor body before assembly of the unitary flexible blade therein;

FIG. 8 is a sectional front view representation of the unitary flexible blade and the top of the distributor rotor just prior to assembly; and

FIG. 9 is a front sectional view representation of the unitary flexible blade assembled at the top of the distributor rotor, the section being taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 6 in the direction of the arrows of FIG. 6. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 6 and 9, a distributor rotor is illustrated as having a body generally designated by the reference numeral I0 including a depending tubular member 12 for receiving the distributor shaft (not shown). The body 10 also includes the rotor sweep member 14 having at one end thereof a slot 16 elongated in the direction of elongation of the rotor sweep member 14. The slot I6 provides a nest for a unitary flexible blade, generally designated by the reference numeral 18, according to the present invention.

Referring in addition to other figures of the drawings, the unitary flexible blade 18 is shown to include a spring tongue 20 which provides a positive contact between the rotor assembly and the contact member 22 for the current from the ignition coil (not shown). The unitary flexible blade 18 has a spring tongue 20 as an extension of the blade base 24 which terminates in a flange 26 for sweeping past the spark plug contacts successively as the rotor turns about its axis. On either side of the blade base 24 in parallel relation to each other are arranged a plurality of teeth 28, which are, prior to assembly, at approximately a 20 upward and outward angle to the plane of blade base 24 in two rows, one at each side edge thereof. This angular relationship of the teeth 28 and blade base 24 is shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 8.

A modification of the unitary flexible blade shown in FIGS. 1-3 is depicted in FIG. 4, which shows a blade base 24' having teeth 28 extending therefrom (only one side edge shown). The blade base 24' in this alternative embodiment is shown to terminate in a straight front edge 26' useful when a large discharge area is found to be unnecessary.

Assembly of the distributor rotor is described as follows by reference to the unitary flexible blade of FIGS. 1-3, but is intended to apply to the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4 as well: The unitary flexible blade I8 is aligned above the slot I6 of the rotor sweep member I4 as shown in FIG. 8 and pressed into the slot by means of a fixture or the like until the blade base 24 bottoms on the bottom wall 15 of the slot I6. As the blade base nests into the slot the angle of the teeth 28 increases to approximately a 45 angle as shown in FIG. 9. The teeth 28 act as a restraint for the blade base 24 of the unitary flexible blade 18, so that if an attempt is made to remove it, the teeth 28 dig into the sidewalls 17 of the slot 16, thereby preventing its withdrawal. Furthermore, the teeth in their assembled, restrained position primarily provide a pivot for the spring tongue 20 of the unitary structure. The material and cross section of the tongue 20 are such that it provides a spring for the contact point 22 and a positive relationship therewith to maintain a good electrical connection for the current from the ignition coil.

The material for the unitary flexible blade is typically copper or any other electrically conductive material or plating on a dissimilar base material.

In accordance with the foregoing description a flexible blade 18 is provided in combination with a distributor rotor body having a rotor sweep member 14 including a slot 16 therein. The slot 16 has a bottom wall and sidewalls 17 for mounting of a flexible blade 18 therein. The unitary flexible blade 18 functions to distribute current to the spark plugs of an internal combination engine using said distributor rotor. The unitary flexible blade 18 is fabricated of an electrically conductive and springy one-piece stamping and includes a blade base 24, and a spring tongue 20 projecting from one end of said blade base 24, the blade base having laterally extending teeth 28 formed along opposite sides of said blade base and extending upwardly and outwardly of the base at an acute angle thereto. The teeth 28 are positioned in the slot 16 and with the blade base 24 are sized to be force-fitted to the sidewalls thereof such that the teeth 28 are flexed to a mounting position at a greater acute angle. The blade base 24 is seated against the bottom wall 15 of the slot 16 with the teeth bearing against the sidewalls under tension when at their greater acute angle, and the teeth are imbedded in the sidewalls 17 upon attempted removal of the blade base 24.

We claim:

1. A distributor rotor assembly having a one-piece flexible blade for distributing current from an ignition coil to spark plugs in an internal combustion engine, said flexible blade comprising a unitary body including a blade base and a spring tongue 45integrally therewith, said blade base being adapted to provide sequential contact to said spark plugs, the spring tongue of said body being adapted t provide electrical contact for current from said ignition coil, said blade base including a flange at its spark plug contact end, said flange enlarging said blade base contact area, and further including teeth extending outwardly and upwardly from said blade base and said distributor rotor assembly including a rotor sweep member with a slot therein for receiving said blade base, said teeth being adapted to nest into said slot for attaching said unitary body to said rotor sweep member and said teeth being at an approximately 45+ angle to the plane of said unitary body.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said blade base includes a main portion extending from said spring tongue to said flange and being unitary and integral with both said flange and said spring tongue and said flange extending generally perpendicularly to said main portion. 

1. A distributor rotor assembly having a one-piece flexible blade for distributing current from an ignition coil to spark plugs in an internal combustion engine, said flexible blade comprising a unitary body including a blade base and a spring tongue 45*integrally therewith, said blade base being adapted to provide sequential contact to said spark plugs, the spring tongue of said body being adapted t provide electrical contact for current from said ignition coil, said blade base including a flange at its spark plug contact end, said flange enlarging said blade base contact area, and further including teeth extending outwardly and upwardly from said blade base and said distributor rotor assembly including a rotor sweep member with a slot therein for receiving said blade base, said teeth being adapted to nest into said slot for attaching said unitary body to said rotor sweep member and said teeth beinG at an approximately 45+ angle to the plane of said unitary body.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said blade base includes a main portion extending from said spring tongue to said flange and being unitary and integral with both said flange and said spring tongue and said flange extending generally perpendicularly to said main portion. 